Ibon Navarro's Crvena Zvezda delivered their most complete performance of the season in Dubai. They won 58-77 against Dubai Basketball, who had never scored fewer than 60 points in the EuroLeague. Navarro was forced to play Semi Ojeleye at center with Johnathan Motley sidelined. Both teams remain at 2-2.
Bacon's First Quarter
Xavi Pascual's team started strong. Dwayne Bacon had 10 points by the eight-minute mark, and Dubai Basketball closed the first quarter ahead (21-16), with Tornike Shengelia and Mfiondu Kabengele doing damage inside against a Zvezda team lacking size.
https://youtu.be/2kMCaWkCCK8?si=M71QJD_AMWn4FKdQ
The 13-0 Run That Changed Everything
Everything changed at the start of the second quarter. Zvezda came out of the timeout with a 13-0 run that flipped the scoreboard, and they never trailed again. Serbian defense shut down passing lanes, forced Dubai Basketball to play against the clock, and held them to just 10 points for the entire quarter. At halftime, 31-37.
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Nwora and Butler Lead the Offense
After halftime, Jordan Nwora hit back-to-back three-pointers and Zvezda continued extending their lead (46-56 at the end of the third quarter). Dubai Basketball fought back in the fourth quarter and got within 13 (54-67) with two minutes remaining, but couldn't find anything else. A final Serbian surge sealed the 58-77 final, the largest margin of the game.
Nwora finished with 20 points, Ojeleye added 12 points and 7 rebounds in his makeshift center role, and Jared Butler contributed 11. For Dubai Basketball, Bacon (13), Shengelia (12), and Elie Okobo (10) were the only ones in double figures.
"The Key Is the Players, Not the Coaches"
Navarro, who has now won two straight games after starting 0-2, shared the credit. "The key is always the players, not the coaches. We're not magicians," he said after the game, according to Telegraf. He highlighted the team's energy, intensity, and especially how they controlled their nerves after mistakes, plus their fight for rebounds against Shengelia and Kabengele. On Ojeleye playing center, he was clear: "It wasn't a choice, it was a necessity."
He also had words of praise for Dejan Davidovac: "We missed him a lot, he's a player with very high basketball IQ."
Crvena Zvezda visits ASVEL next week. Dubai Basketball, who started the season with wins over Real Madrid and Barcelona, suffer their second consecutive loss.